Claire Plank 88, passed away on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at the Residence at Otter Creek in Middlebury. She was born on July 9, 1928 to Eric and Hilda (Gustafson) Johnson in Norwalk, Connecticut. She was a wife, mother, electrical engineer, and a quietly staunch feminist. She graduated from Cornell University in 1949 with a degree in electrical engineering the only woman in her major. Upon her graduation she knew she was entering a male-dominated field, yet worked quietly and diligently to contribute her skill and knowledge adding value to every project she pursued. Her intellectual and social acumen won her the respect of many people, both at work and in the community. It was at her workplace, Perkin-Elmer Corporation in Norwalk, that she met her future husband, John Plank. They were wed in Stamford, Connecticut on February 19, 1955. Claire interrupted her career to raise her two sons, David and Kurt. In the 1960s, when the boys were old enough to come home from school and not destroy the house in her absence, she returned to work in the field of computer programming at Perkin-Elmer. In 1971, the family moved to their vacation home in Winhall, Vermont, for a more rural lifestyle. During this time, Claire pursued sewing, a hobby she enjoyed for much of her lifetime. She served on the Winhall school board, nominated from the floor for that position by her husband after she left the meeting to make dinner for her sons. The family gradually found comfort and acceptance in the Winhall community, but Claire yearned for more. She accepted a job at Simmonds Precision in Vergennes, Vermont, working there for several years before moving on to Digital Equipment in South Burlington, retiring in 1992. She and her husband John enjoyed many years living on Munger Street in New Haven, Vermont and raising Christmas trees at their property. Beginning in 2008, Claire and John made their home at the Lodge/Residence at Otter Creek where she appreciated the warmth and care of the staff. The family would like to thank all those who cared for and embraced Claire. Claire is survived by her sons David, of Port Charlotte, FL and his children Max and Zoe; Kurt, of North Ferrisburgh, VT, his wife Karen Petersen and their daughter Phoebe, and daughters Margo and Karla from his marriage to Ann-Marie (Pluff); her brother Wayne Johnson and his wife Phyllis of Southington, CT. She was predeceased by her parents and her husband, John in 2009. A private service will be held at the familys convenience. Notes of sympathy can be sent to The Plank Family, 545 Old Hollow Road, North Ferrisburgh, Vermont 05473. Being a dog lover for most of her life, Claire would be pleased if people would consider a gift in her memory to Addison Countys humane society, Homeward Bound, 236 Boardman Street, Middlebury, Vermont 05753. Arrangements are under the direction of Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral Home. Online condolences can be made at: www.sandersonfuneralservice.com